As we move into August, this week we have high summer flowers which were once popular, then unfashionable, but have now been rescued from the category of 'vulgar' and 'bad taste'. First is the gladiolus, for too long associated with comedy, Dame Edna Everage, Morrissey, and manicured suburban gardens. This year, Tesco is reporting a 300% increase in sales of gladioli, which is not surprising. As this painting, Gladioli (c1933, Laing Art Gallery) by Florence Engelbach shows, they are big, showy, colourful, and extremely good value.